Is Coinbase Global (COIN) the Best Up and Coming Stock to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts?

We recently published a list of the 12 Best Up and Coming Stocks to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) stands against other up and coming stocks to buy according to Wall Street Analysts.

Tom Lee, Fundstrat managing partner, joined CNBC’s ‘Closing Bell’ on March 22 to discuss the current market sentiment. When asked about the recent report on tariffs, which oscillates between an iron fist and an olive branch, Lee expressed optimism. He suggested that markets should interpret the situation positively because many clients view tariffs as punitive and potentially recession-inducing. However, a mutually agreed or reciprocal tariff deal could create a favorable scenario for businesses, potentially setting the stage for a significant recovery rally. Addressing the immediate challenge of volatility leading up to April 2, Lee acknowledged the dilemma investors face during this period of uncertainty. He noted that many are overwhelmed by market fluctuations and tempted to give up. Drawing a parallel to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, which lasted 12 days, Lee pointed out that markets historically bottom before crises are resolved. For instance, during that crisis, the stock market reached its lowest point seven days in and recovered two-thirds of its losses before the resolution. He suggested this historical pattern could serve as a template for today’s market behavior.

When asked about the economy, Lee remarked on how quickly sentiment has deteriorated. He attributed part of this decline to divisive political leadership that affected consumer confidence and noted that CEO confidence has also dropped unexpectedly. CEOs have become hesitant to make decisions, which is contributing to what he described as a growth shock. However, he remained hopeful that this slowdown would be temporary if it does not persist for months. The conversation shifted to concerns about a potential recession, with Jeffrey Gundlach recently estimating a 50% to 60% chance of one occurring in the next few quarters. Lee countered this by stating that while a 10% drawdown in the S&P 500 already prices in a 40% chance of recession, markets do not fully align with Gundlach’s pessimistic view. He highlighted that economies like China, Europe, Canada, and Mexico have been outperforming the US since February 18. If punitive tariffs were truly driving global recessions, these economies would also be struggling. Instead, Lee described markets as more paralyzed than outright pessimistic.

Our Methodology

We used the Finviz stock screener to compile an initial list of the top stocks that went public in the last 5 years. We then selected the 12 stocks with high analysts’ upside potential as of March 21 that were also the most popular among elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their upside potential. We have also added the hedge fund sentiment for each stock, as of Q4 2024, which was sourced from Insider Monkey’s database.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

Is Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) the Best Up and Coming Stock to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts?

A shot of someone securely accepting crypto assets as payment, showcasing the company’s payment solutions.

Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN)

Average Upside Potential as of March 21: 63.36%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 69

Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) operates a leading crypto asset platform. It provides services for consumers, institutions, and developers. It acts as a primary financial gateway to the crypto economy by offering brokerage services and tools for building on blockchain technology.

The company’s subscription and services revenue showcased a diversification beyond trading. In 2024, this segment surged by 64% year-over-year and reached $2.3 billion. This was primarily driven by USDC, staking, and Coinbase One. Specifically, Coinbase One surpassed 600,000 paid subscribers by December. The company reported $6.6 billion in total revenue in 2024. The international revenue share reached 19% in Q4 2024.

For 2025, Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) aims to increase USDC’s market cap through new partnerships and payment integrations. The company also plans to grow staking services for both retail and institutional clients, and expand Coinbase One’s reach, especially in international markets. For Q1 2025, Coinbase projects subscription and services revenue to be between $685 million and $765 million, driven by stablecoin growth and subscriber increases.

Patient Capital Management stated the following regarding Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

“The top performers in the fourth quarter were once again Financials and Travel names. We’ve been over-indexed to them since the pandemic, which has served us well. We strategically added to certain financial names like Sofi Technologies (SOFI) and Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) during the year. Both companies rebounded strongly in the fourth quarter. We believe Coinbase is building the platform for the crypto ecosystem. Certain recent advances (wallet, base improvements, USD Coin) could cause an adoption tipping point. We like that Coinbase continues to widen its moat by persistently investing in innovation.”

Overall, COIN ranks 8th on our list of the best up and coming stocks to buy according to Wall Street Analysts. While we acknowledge the growth potential of COIN, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than COIN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.